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Highest-rated free things to do in Colorado by visitors

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Tint Media // Shutterstock
Tint Media // Shutterstock
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Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Colorado.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Colorado using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#18. Manitou Springs Incline

Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. Manitou Springs Incline

- Rating: 4.8/5 (878 reviews)
- City: Manitou Springs El Paso County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Historic Downtown Durango

Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. Historic Downtown Durango

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,928 reviews)
- City: Durango
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Telluride Mountain Village Gondola

Tripadvisor

26 / 30

#5. Telluride Mountain Village Gondola

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,998 reviews)
- City: Telluride
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Peak to Peak Scenic Byway

Tripadvisor

27 / 30

#4. Peak to Peak Scenic Byway

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,845 reviews)
- City: Estes Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

Tripadvisor

29 / 30

#2. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

- Rating: 4.8/5 (3,879 reviews)
- City: Morrison
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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